Three days earlier we peeled the Wachuma in our outdoor temple area. We then seperated the dark green outerlying parts into chunks. The chunks were then boiled down with a small amount of water to make “quac” or “goo” which was placed in the vitamix to make just the most goo-rific texture.

We sat in our ceremonial circle w/ Jose, we took turns smudging with a large handful of feathers and Palo Santo. A white onyx ceremonial cup flanked by two frogs sculptured into it’s side was produced.

You need to drop the ego mind, just to get the “Quac” down, your thoughts must leave you because this specific “quac” texture, the Wachuma, acts like one huge thick snake, you basically need to take the entire cup down in one sitting, breathing through the nose, selfishly gulping down as the “quac” slithers down to your belly, it tastes like medicine.

After our drinking ceremony we grabbed our backpacks and followed Jose to a beautiful piece of terrace land overlooking the valley. The terraced land was filled with blossoming peach trees and a large avocado tree dominated the terrace of our arrival. Remnants of buildings and walls gave the feeling of being surrounded by ruinas.

Mind altering drugs have been used on a religious level for centuries. Peyote is commonly used among the Native Americans of North America, “magic mushrooms,” known as Teonanactl in native Quecha, were used by the Aztecs, and ayahuasca has been used by various tribes in the South American Amazonian for centuries. All these plants have a strong religious basis separating them from the modern Western view of hallucinogens as an illegal drug.